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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2009 > February > 23 > Entry
Ellington’s ‘Sacred Concert’ a glorious collaboration
Not a seat was empty Sunday afternoon when Austin Chamber Music Center teamed up with Huston-Tillotson University’s Concert Choir for a joyous version Duke Ellington’s ‘Sacred Concert,’ presented free as the Chamber Music Center’s annual Black History Month concert.
People spilled into the hall of Huston-Tillotson’s King-Seabrook Chapel. And the stage brimmed full too with the Concert Choir, led by soprano Gloria Quinlan, along with a 15-piece big band led by Keith Winking.
Part choral song cycle, part big band concert, part collection of gospel song, Ellington’s ‘Sacred Concert’ is a brilliant musical mashup. The jazz maestro considered it the most important music he had ever written and spent the last decade of his life devoted to it. Actually, there were three versions of the ‘Sacred Concert’ the first presented in 1965, the last in 1973 one year before Ellington’s death.
But because of the sheer scale of the works, versions of the ‘Sacred Concert’ aren’t often performed. Austin Chamber Music Center artistic director Michelle Schumann has been dreaming of presenting Ellington’s sprawling masterpiece for years. She deserves many kudos for pulling together the considerable forces to make it happen — and offer the concert free to the Austin community.
Certainly, Austin loved it on Sunday. The applause started rippling about two songs into the hour-long program that featured nine selections. At times the chorus alternated the spotlight with the big band. Quinlan showed her clear sweet soprano on “Heaven” even if some micing problems left the volume drift. Winking’s whip-smart ensemble piqued during several impressive solos. Trumpeter Curtis Calderon gave sublime swaggering minor-chord swing that nevertheless still rang as a clarion call. (‘Sacred Concert’ was Ellington’s most direct expression of his faith.) Tenor saxophonist Russell Haight offered a nicely nuanced spin on the bluesy, soulful “TGTT (Too Good To Be Titled).”
But what brought the house down was a surprise add to program, phenom tap dancer Jason Janas of Tapestry Dance Company, who blasted out a brilliant tap solo to “David Danced Before the Lord.” Janas’s storm of sound — all loose legs and furious footwork — begat a spontaneous standing ovation.
Good things — glorious music — happen when people collaborate, Sunday’s concert proved. Now, how about an annual Ellington ‘Sacred Concert’ here?
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